Joint for metal beds.



F. W. ADAMS. JOINT FOR METAL BEDS. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 23, 1909.

Patented Jan 11,1910.

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Wzzawa UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE.

FRANCIS W. ADAMS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

JOINT FOR METAL BEDS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS IV. ADAMS, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Joints for Metal Beds, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to joints for connecting members of metalbedsteads, as the side rails to the posts thereof.

The object of the invention is to Provide a joint, particularly designedand adapted for connecting the side rails to the posts of a metalbedstead, so constructed and arranged that the head and foot of thebedstead shall be provided, one with male and the other withcorresponding female jointmernbers, together forming a complete joint,whereby the head and foot of a bedstead provided with my improvedjoints, may be connected and set up in show and sales rooms for displayand exhibition purposes without the use of short rails or other meansnow used for this purpose.

A further object of the invention is to provide joints comprising maleand female joint-members on the head and foot of the bedstead and on theends of the side rails so constructed and arranged that the side railsmay be reversed to adapt the bed for use either with or without slats,as may be desired.

To effect these objects, a joint. of my invention comprises thevarious-features and details of construction hereinafter described andclaimed.

In the accompanying drawing, in which my invention is fullyillustrated,-Figure 1 is a partial side view of a bedstead, as set upfor use, showing the head, foot and side rails connected by my improvedjoints. Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig. 1, showing the head and foot ofthe bedstead connected directly to each other by means of my improvedjoints, as set up for exhibition or display purposes. Fig. 3 is a plansection on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, on an enlarged scale. Fig. 4 is asectional elevation on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, also on an enlargedscale. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 of the joint other than thatshown in said Fig. 4; and Figs. (3 and 7 are enlarged plan sections onthe lines 66 and 7-7, respectively, of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawing, 1 and 2 are posts, one of the head and theother of Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. February 23, 1909.

Patented Jan. 11, 1910.

Serial No. 479,329.

the foot of a bedstead, respectively, and 3 a side rail for connectingsaid posts.

Cast upon the posts 1 and 2, respectively, are joint-members 4 and 5,said joint-members 4 and 5 being provided with surfaces 6 and 7 adaptedto abut against each other when the bedstead is set up for displaypurposes, or against corresponding surfaces on joint-members on the endsof the side rail 3, when said bedstead is set up for use. Projectingfrom the end of one of said jointmembers, as shown from the member 4, isa key or headed stud 8, which is adapted to engage a corresponding keysocket 9 in the abutting face 7 of the joint-member 5 on the post 2. Thekey opening for the socket 9 comprises a section 10 adapted to receivethe head of the key or stud 8 and a reduced section 11 extendingdownwardly from the lower edge of said section 10, said reduced sectionbeing narrower than the head of the key or stud 8, but sufliciently wideto receive the shank of said key or stud. The reduced portion 11 of thesocket 9 is formed by flanges 12 which extend inwardly over the openside of the recess 9, the inner edges 13 of said flanges being inclinedinwardly away from the lower edge of the enlarged section 10 of said keyopening, thus forming cam surfaces, engagement of which by the head ofthe key or stud 8 will operate to draw the joint-members 4 and 5together so that the surfaces 6 and 7 thereon will abut against) eachother. The joint-members 4 and 5, the key or stud 8, and the socket 9are preferably so proportioned and positioned that, when the key or stud8 is in full engagement with the key socket 9 with the faces (5 and 7abutting, the top and lateral sides of the jointmembers 4 and 5 willregister with each other. For reasons presently apparent, however, thevertical dimension of the jointmember 4, with the construction shown, issomewhat greater than the vertical dimension of the joint-member 5.

\Vith the described construction, it is obvious that by engaging the keyor stud 8 with the socket 9, the head and foot of the bedstead can berigidly connected and set up for display and exhibition purposes withoutthe use of the short rails or other means commonly used for thispurpose, thus eliminating said rails, in the manner desired.

To provide for setting the bedstead up for use, the side rail 3 isprovided on its opposite ends with joint-members l4 and 15,

consisting, as shown, of suitable heads cast directly upon the ends ofsaid side rail, the end surfaces 16 and 17 of which, respectively, areadapted to abut against the corresponding surfaces 6 and 7 of the jointmembers t and 5 when the bed is set up for use. Projecting from the endof the joint member 15 is a key or headed stud 18, the same beingsubstantially a duplicate of the stud 8 on the joint-member 4 and beingadapted to engage the key socket 9 in the joint-member 5 in the samemanner as said key or stud 8 engages said socket. Formed in thejoint-member 1 1 is a key socket 19 adapted for engagement with the keyor stud 8 projecting from the joint member 4. The socket 19 may be asubstantial duplicate of the socket 9 in the joint-member 5, with theexception, however, that the narrow section of the key opening of saidsocket shall extend upwardly from the enlarged section thereof throughwhich the head of the key or stud passes into engagement with said keysocket instead of below the same, as in the key socket 9.

In the preferable construction shown, and to provide for reversing theside rail 3, the socket 19 is preferably made double, comprising acentral enlarged section 20 adapted to permit the head of the key orstud 8 to pass through the same into engagement with said socket andrelatively narrow portions 21 and 22 arranged symmetrically above andbelow said enlarged section 20, said relatively narrow sections beingnarrower than the head of said key or stud 8 but sufficiently wide toreceive the shank thereof. As in the case of the socket 9, both reducedsections 21 and 22 of the key socket 19 are formed by flanges 23 whichextend inwardly -over the open side of said socket, the inner surfacesof which are inclined, as shown at 24-, to form cam surfacescorresponding to the cam surfaces 13 of the key socket 9. The key socket19 is disposed centrally with reference to the side rail 3, and thejointmembers 4 and 14 are so proportioned and arranged that the abuttingends thereof will register with each other when connected in eitherposition.

In order to reverse the side rails 3 with the construction described, itis obvious that it will be necessary to transfer them from one side tothe other of the bed.

The studs or keys 8 and 18 may either be formed integral with the jointmembers to which they are respectively secured, or may consist of aseparate stud cast into said joint members.

To prevent the side rails from turning, the joint members on said siderails and on the posts are preferably provided with interlocking partsadapted to prevent turning thereof. As shown, this is effected byforming the sides of the heads and shanks of the keys or studs 8 and 18flat and of sufficient length to prevent turning thereof in the sockets9 and 19.

For convenience of manufacture, the key sockets 9 and 19 are preferablyformed in separate malleable inserts and 26, respectively, cast into theabutting faces of the joint members 5 and 14, respectively. Said keysockets 9 and 19 may extend entirely through said inserts 25 and 26, butto prevent the metal which forms the joint-members 5 and 14 from flowinginto said key sockets, the rear sides thereof are preferably closed, asby plates preferably formed integral with the sides of said inserts.Thus, by placing the inserts 25 and 26 within the molds with the opensides of said key sockets 9 and 19 in contact with sides of the molds,the molten metal for forming said joint-members 5 and 14 will beeffectually prevented from entering and obstructing said key sockets.

I claim 1. Joints for connecting the head and foot of a bedsteadcomprising male joint-members on one thereof, and female joint-memberson the other adapted for engagement with each other, and correspondingmale and female joint-members on opposite ends of the side rails,whereby said head and foot are adapted to be set up both with andwithout said side rails, substantially as described.

2. Joints for connecting the head and foot of a bedstead comprising malejoint-members on one thereof and female joint-members on the otheradapted for engagement with each other, a corresponding male jointmemberon one end of each side rail and double female joint-members on theopposite ends thereof, whereby said head and foot may be set up bothwith and without the side rails and said side rails may be reversed,substantially as described.

3. Joints for connecting the head and foot of a bedstead comprisingjoint-members thereon and on opposite ends of the side rails, saidjoint-members being provided with surfaces designed and adapted to abutagainst one another when the bedstead is set up, keys which project fromthe abutting surfaces of the joint-members on one bedstead member and onone end of each side rail, and the jointmembers on the other bedsteadmember and on the opposite ends of said side rails being provided withkey sockets in their abutting surfaces adapted for engagement by saidkeys, whereby said head and foot are adapted to be set up both with andwithout said side rails, substantially as described.

4. Joints for connecting the head and footof a beostead comprisingjoint-members thereon and on opposite ends of the side rails, said.joint-members being provided with surfaces designed and adapted to abutagainst one another when the bedstead is set 1 sockets in said side railjoint-members being up, keys which project from the abutting double,whereby said side rails may be resurfaces of the joint-members on onebed- 1 \ersed,sr 1bstantia11y as described. stead member and on one endof each side 1 In testimony, that I clalrn the foregoing as rail, andthe oint-members on the other my invention, I afifin my signature 1npresbedstead member and on the opposite end ence of two subscribingwltnesses, thls 17th of said side rail being provided with key day ofFebruary, 1909.

sockets in their abutting surfaces adapted. FRANCIS W. ADAMS. forengagement by said keys, whereby said i itnesses:

head and foot are adapted to be set up both t K. A. COSTELLO,

with and without said side rails, the key E. L. NICHOLSON.

